Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times offers good insight into what shortstop Jack Wilson’s defensive presence means to the club, noting his range helps make the Jose Lopez switch to third a consideration. The M’s also are making the unusual move of using Wilson to relay defensive signals this year, a job normally held by a corner infielder such as Adrian Beltre in the past.

Baker also monitored Lee’s first bullpen session, after which the veteran said he didn’t even think about the foot he just had surgery on 19 days earlier.

Larry LaRue of the News Tribune provides great details on what happened to reliever Shawn Kelley, as he was kicked in the face by Mark Lowe during stretching and wound up needing six stitches. That turned out to be good news for Erik Bedard, who correctly guessed six as the other pitchers set up a pool over how many stitches their fallen teammate was going to require.

LaRue offers a notebook leading with Lee’s return, observing that the one person not watching the highly-anticipated debut was GM Jack Zduriencik. “I”ve seen Cliff pitch quite a bit. I didn’t need to see him throw a bullpen session.” LaRue also offers quick observations on Lopez’s rather unenthusiastic efforts at third base and the smoothness of newcomer Casey Kotchman at first.

Arnold offers a notebook as well, with talk of Lee’s return and Kelley’s chin, plus Don Wakamatsu’s not-too-surprising revelation that Ichiro indeed will lead off and Chone Figgins will bat second.

Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN provides her unique take on the day’s events. Among her observations: Don Wakamatsu wasn’t amused by the horseplay that got Kelley hurt, the manager did score a Ken Griffey Jr. glove during the day and the Lopez-to-third experiment is still in the “fact-finding” stage.

Meanwhile, Robert MacLeod of the Toronto Globe and Mail checks in from Florida with a report on Brandon Morrow. The former Mariners pitcher will be given a shot to win a job in the Blue Jays’ rotation and is happy to have a defined role. “I guess you know, the back and forth in Seattle kind of starts to wear on you a little bit and it’s nice to know that you’ve got a position and that’s what you’re working towards.”